Timing device



April 5, 1955 1.. REICHOLD TIMING DEVICE Filed NOV. 19, 1949 5 III IIIIIHII II \Illllllllb I /[In R m m m 4, /1: WM Pam/m1.

UnitedStatesPatent O 2,705,631 TIMING DEVICE Ludwig'Reichold, Simsbury, Conn. Application Nat-mat 19,='1949, Serial No.''128,387

' 3 Claims: (01. 267-1) This *invention" relates to a timing deviceand more particularly totiming devices which are adapted to pro- 1- vide a predetermined "timing period for eachloperation -l thereof and such'as commonly used "for controlling the operand machines, pin -ball'-machines, electric toasters and also door checks and the like.

It is'an' object'of'this invention to provide a timing de 'ce whichis inexpensive to produce "and which may be easily operated *to' provide a desired ipredetermined time period.

urther object of the invention is to provide such a tim ng'f device which is controlled by: a suitable material," 1. preferably a plastic material, having lpermanent qualities and durable characteristics.

A still rur'th'er object 'ofthe invention is to:provide a timing device which may beadjusted =fordifferent timing: periods and which 1 will operatei'to provide a mechanical movement'or control an electric circuit.- 1

A still further and important object of this invention-is to provide such a timing device in which the plastic material used -is characterized by being responsive to temperature changes so as to vary the duration of the time periods providjed by said timing devicein accordance with such temperature changes and thereby render said timing device particularly adapted for use on such devices as automatic electric toasters and the like.

Fiirtlier objects and advantages of this invention will be'r'nore clearly understood from the followingidescription and from theaccompanying drawings in which:

A Fig. 1 is a front view of a timing device embodying myinventioti:

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view, in central vertical section, of aporti'on of said device; 1

Fig. 4 is aside-view, in central vertical section, of a door check embodying my invention in a modified form.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 5 denotes a base having an upright portion on which there is mounted a drum 6 having an axial post 7 extending therefrom and by means of which the said drum is horizontally mounted to the said upright portion. The said post is surrounded by an annular shoulder 8 adjacent to the end wall 9 of the drum 6 and a disk 10 is rotatably mounted on the post between the said shoulder and a spacing collar 11 which is also mounted on said post and positioned between the disk 10 and the upright portion of the base 5. A clamping nut 12 is threaded to the post 7 and, when tightened, is adapted to secure the disk 10 against rotation.

A rotor 13 is contained within the drum 6 and is axially and rotatably mounted therein by means of a trun nion 14, which rotates in a bearing in the end wall 9, and a shaft 15 which extends through the end wall 16 and is rotatable in a bearing therein. An operating lever 17 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 15 and is disposed between the end of a hub 18, on the end wall 16, and a rotating member 19, preferably in the form of a disk, is secured to the shaft 15 against rotation thereon by suitable means such as a pin 20. A pawl 21 is pivotally mounted on the lever 17, by means of a stud 22, and biased into contact with the surface of the disk 19 by means of a spring 23. If desired, the said disk 19 may be in the form of a ratchet wheel having a series of teeth around the periphery thereof which are engaged by the pawl 21 to provide positive engagement for rotating the disk in one direction.

of such-appliances as slot machines, washing;

1 a: clockwise direction,

The lever 17 is urged to rotatewupon theshatt 15, by; meanstof a driving spring :24 which is anchored by one; end 25 to the disk 10 and by its opposite .end25a to, the;

said lever.

of-=the--rotorg 13. This materialds preferablya ,pl astic having .;the desired ,qualities foraparticular requirements m-the use of the timingdevice for dilferent timing operations. 1

A material found permanence "in, its consistency- In the operation of the embodimentwof ,my invention illustrated in the drawings, a timingtcyclemay beinitia'ted 'by rotating ,the lever=17 in a contra-clockwise direction. against the tension of the driving spring 24,.until it reaches a predetermined position which may be regulated by a,

suitable stop, (not ,shown-). .When the said lever is released, thespring ;24 will-urge-thesaid leverto rotate in of the disk, or ratchet wheel 19, and thereby connect the lever to the shaft 15 and cause rotationv of:therotor,-- 13 against the yielding resistance provided-by the plasticity. of the material 26- which-willtretard therotation of the, said rotor and thereby alsoretard therotation of the lever, 17 by the drivinggspring 24 andv consequently'provide,a,, time: interval'which'may be-used in performing different,

controlling operations, where a delayedactionisdesired.

Myimproved timingwdevice may be; adapted, for efiif ciently controlling the operation of such heating, devices as electric toasters wherein, asis commonlyknown, it is desired that the length of, the time intervals ,for successive toasting operations be reduced ,-in.p roportion to.the, rise of, the temperature in thetoaster so thatuniformly'toasted.

bread slices may be obtained regardless of wheth r the toaster is started fromtta cold condition, asinthefirst,

ticity: ofwhich will increase as the. temperature, oflthe material rises, so that, the time periods provided, by.,s aid, timing device for a timing'operation will"'vary in accord ance with changes in the temperature of the device in which the said timing device is contained. In effect, the material which I use for providing such variable timing periods is responsive to temperature changes in a heating device, which is controlled by my timing device, to provide shorter time periods as the temperature of the heating device rises, and thereby produce uniform results in cooking or toasting operations.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, the timing device may be adjusted for providing longer or shorter time periods by reducing the tension in the driving spring 24 so that it will apply less torque to the rotor 13 against the plasticity of the material 26 and thereby increase the length of the time period, or apply more torque to the said rotor and reduce the length of the time period.

This adjustment of the driving spring 24 may be made by loosening the nut 12, rotating the disk 10 in the required direction to loosen or tighten the said spring, and then tightening the nut 12 so as to secure the said disk 10 in adjusted position. If desired, the said disk may be connected to a suitable adjusting member which extends to the exterior of the device in which the timing device is used so that adjustment of the driving spring be made from the exterior of said device. Such adjustments may also be determined by means of a dial and pointer, not shown, such as commonly used on timing devices.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, my improved timing device may be combined with a suitable electric switch for timing the opening or closing of an Patented Apr; 1 955-1 particularly desirable fonusejn connectionwith my present invention, consists ofia pliable. :siliconeplastic, commonly-called, silicone rubber, or sili cone-putty, which resembles putty but has' 'stabil ity and};

This rotation of the lever will causelthe end of the pawl 21 .to bind against the periphery;-

electric circuit. In the form shown, the electric switch may include a spring bar 27 which is mounted on an insulating block 28and' has 'an electric contact 29 engaging a similar contact 30 on a resilient bar 31 which is also mounted on said block. Each of said bars 27 and 31 may be provided with binding screws 32 and 33, respectively, for securing electric wires to said switch.

When the member 17 is moved downwardly, the electric switch is closed. As the said lever reaches the end of the timed cycle, the insulating abutment 34, at the end of the extension 35 on said lever, will'engage the spring bar 27 and move it away from the bar 31 and thereby separate the contacts 29 and 30 and break the electric circuit.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, my invention may be modified in order to provide a door check for checking the closing of a door to prevent it from slamming. In this form, the device may include a stationary member in the form of a shell or container 36 having a material chamber 37 which is covered by a suitable closure '38. A rotor 39 is rotatable in said shell upon a pivot 40 and in a bearing 41 in the closure. A lever 42 is rotatable on the shaft 43 of the rotor and has a pawl 44 which engages a ratchet 45 on the'said shaft. 7

Aspring 46 surrounds the shell 36 and is secured at one end to the lever 42 and at the other end to an adjusting 47 which is secured to the shell by an adjusting nut A cover 49 may be used to cover the entire device.

In the operation of the door check illustrated, the device is "mounted to the frame of the door, illustrated at 50, and the lever 42 is secured to the door in any suitable conventional manner by the bearing 51.

When the door is opened, it will wind the spring 46. As' the door is released, the spring will move it towards closed position against the tension of the plastic material 52 which is contained in the material chamber 37 betweenthe shelljfi and the rotor 39. This material is of the same nature as that used in the above described timing device and will retard the closing action of the door and thereby prevent slamming. Tension of the spring 46, to control the speed with which the door will close, may be adjusted by means of the adjusting disk 47.

A door check embodying this modified form of my invention provides a desired advantage over door checks of conventional form sinceit provides 'a uniform resistance for the full closing movement of the door and thereby prevents the rapid closing of the door during the initial portion of the closing movement which applies considerable strain upon the door check. .I claim:

.1. A timing device including a base, a stationary member secured to said base and 'having a material containing chamber therein, a rotor rotatable in said chamber, a spring member surroundingsaid stationary member, a lever rotatable on said rotor and connected to said 4 spring member, a ratchet member secured to said rotor, a pawl on said lever engageable with said ratchet to im- -part to saidrotor powerfrom said spring inone direction and to permit rotation of saidlever independently of said rotor to wind said spring, anchoring means securing said spring to said base, and means permitting adjustment of said anchoring means for varying the power imparted by the spring to the lever.

2. A timing device comprising a'base having an upright portion, a stationary drum, a co-axial post on said drum mounting the drum to the said upright portion, a rotor rotatable in said drum, a shaft projecting from said rotor through an end wall of said drum, a lever rotatable on said shaft, a connecting member secured to said shaft, a driving spring surrounding said drum, an anchoring disk rotatable on the post and havingone end of the said spring anchored thereto, the other end of the spring being connected to said lever, uni-directional connecting means on said lever for connecting the lever to the connecting member to drive the rotor in one direction, a plastic material between said drum and rotor for yieldingly resisting the rotation of said rotor'to retard the movement of said lever under the tension of the spring, and means for adjustably securing the said anchoring disk to the drum to vary the tension of the spring.

3. A timing device including a stationary drum, a rotor rotatable in said drum, a lever rotatably connected to said rotor, a driving spring adjustably connected to said drum, and connected to said lever for driving it in one direction, uni-directional ratchet means connecting saidlever to the rotor to impart power fromsaid spring for driving the rotor in one direction and to permit winding of the spring by rotation of said leverin an opposite direction independently of the rotor, a pliable plastic material between said drum and rotor yieldingly resistingthe rotation of said rotor by the spring, and means for adjusting said spring to vary the power imparted therefromto the rotor and thereby vary the speed of rotation. of the I'OlIOl'.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- f 1,655,776 Squires Jan. 10,1928 1,778,905 Mitchell Oct. 21, 1930 2,380,191 Sauzedde July 10, 1945 2,460,116 Bazley Jan. '25, 1949 2,503,143 Wasdell Apr. 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 288,667 Great Britain Apr, 10, 1928 OTHER REFERENCES Product Engineering, January f1 950,- pages 96 93, Silicone Putty as an Engineering Material. 7 

